Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between caramel and caramel sauce? ›

For those who are uncertain, Caramel Sauce is not the same as Caramel syrup. The syrup is sweeter and thin, the sauce is richer and thick. (The sauce is the one we use to make our signature Caramel Macchiatos.)

Combine brown sugar, butter, and milk in a saucepan and bring ingredients to a boil. Remove thickened mixture from heat before adding (optional) vanilla extract. Let the caramel cool slightly before using. The result is an impossibly rich sauce that is guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth.

The best caramel starts with regular granulated sugar. This refined white sugar is made from sugarcane or sugar beets, and it melts more evenly than unrefined sugars. Some recipes call for brown sugar as a shortcut because its dark color looks like caramel as soon as it melts.

There are many different kinds of caramel, including soft caramels, hard caramels, and chewy caramels. Soft caramels are made with a high proportion of milk or cream, which gives them a soft, creamy texture. Hard caramels, on the other hand, are made with very little milk or cream, and have a harder, crunchier texture.

Heavy cream: Your caramel will be thinner the more cream you add. For this recipe and classic caramel sauce (best for draping over ice cream or a slice of cheesecake), we use ½ cup (120ml) cream. However, for a very thick, chewy caramel (but one that's still viscous), you can reduce to ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream.

Caramel sauce should be stored in a heat-resistant, airtight container such as a jar or a glass microwave-safe bowl with a lid. This sweet sauce can be left out at room temperature for a few days, but because of the dairy incorporated into the sauce, it's best kept refrigerated.

Caramel is made by heating sugar (either with a liquid or by itself, more on that below!) in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until it melts and becomes clear. The liquefied sugar is then cooked, without stirring, until it darkens in color, taking on additional flavor notes the longer it remains on the heat.

Overheating the mixture

Follow the recipe carefully, and never melt your caramel on your stove's highest setting—it will cause the caramel to scorch and taste burnt. Once it gets a burnt or bitter flavor, it can't be saved. Luckily, sugar is inexpensive, so you can always start over!

Explanation: The typical formula for caramels is C24H36O18 , so the elements of water have been removed from the sucrose.

You should use refined white granulated or caster sugar to make caramel. Avoid using brown sugar or raw cane sugar as they contain impurities that inhibit caramelisation and also the already brown colour can make it harder to assess when the all important reaction is taking place.

Can I substitute caramel sauce for caramels? ›

Caramel sauce results either from cooking sugar until it browns or by thinning melted caramel candies. When a recipe calls for melting caramel candies, you can use a homemade caramel sauce to replace the melted caramels.

Caramel is the correct spelling if you're talking about food or colors. Carmel is a misspelling when used in those contexts, but it is a word that can be used as a name for people or places.

There's a reason we use caramel sauce in so many of our recipes: It's rich, creamy and brings a special sweetness to a cup of coffee.

The word "caramel" has three syllables: car-a-mel; however, there isn't one correct pronunciation because of the differentiation of accents. The most common pronunciations include karr-uh-mel, karr-uh-muhl, kar-e-mel (with emphasis on the first syllable), and, frequently used by North Americans, kar-muhl.